Sunday, March 16, 2014

1000 Words

Wallace Beery (1885-1949) was one of Hollywood's greatest character actors. A veteran of 250 films, he began working in the silent film era and then moved seemlessly into talking film. He was so popular that at one point, he was the highest paid actor in Hollywood, and had a contract with MGM stipulating he was to be paid $1 more than any other valid contract at the time. He was nominated for an Academy Award in 1930 for The Big House and won the following year for Best Actor for his role in The Champ. He was such a dedicated angler that he held the world's record for sea bass for 35 years, as we noted a couple of years ago on the Fishing for History blog.
Below he is shown from a publicity still from the 1930s.

About Me

My name is Dr. Todd Larson, and I am a college history professor who writes on the history of fishing in America. I started this blog to help people better understand their outdoor heritage. I am originally from Duluth, Minnesota and live in Southwestern Ohio with my wife, daughter, three fish, two cats, and a dog.